


Vriskat| Depressed Is A Feeling

by orphan_account



Series: Asinine Fuckery [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mental Institution, Angst with a Happy Ending, Disorders, Drawing, Drug Abuse, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Relationships, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Great Depression, Humanstuck, Love, Mental Breakdown, Music, Other, Past Abuse, Rants, Rehabilitation, SUPER OUT OF CHARACTER CHARACTERS, Tall Karkat, vriskat redrom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6799882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[no idea wtf i'm doing, thought it would be a good idea for some <3/ Vriskat~Max.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

Vriska supposed it started when he yelled at John the first time he lost his temper in the Rehab Center. John had said something about getting better when they were talking about depression, and Karkat had sent him glares so intense that the blue eyed boy shied away from him.

"Depression isn't a fucking illness you can cure, fuckass," He had growled, cherry eyes bright and serious as he dared John to look at him, "It's a feeling, a fucking emotion that takes over you after an amount of time," He had paused, staring at his pale hands for a brief moment, hesitation flashing across his anguished features. He had moved to sit at his full height in the group circle, towering over the other brunette. "It's a thing that consumes you after a while, it whispers little quips and other un-useful shit that winds you up, makes you see illusions of yourself-bad ones, and eventually makes you believe the lies. Depression isn't a damn disease that we have the chemotherapy to fix, Egderp," His voice had never raised throughout this entire period of time, the same steady volume that shook with concentration at times, which was surprising since he always did have a loud voice as a child. 

"It-It manifests in your mind, like a constant fucking shadow that sinks it's claws into your brain and forces these thoughts on you. Shit-I'll go as far as to say it slowly starts killing you. Depression...it's a feeling of death, uselessness, morbid desire; it has a life of it's own, in a way. Like a parasite that feeds of your sadness and in return, gives you these thoughts in order to keep splurging itself on your emotions until it pushes you too far and you off yourself,"

Karkat had stopped again, eyes never leaving the ocean of blue across from him. John looked as hypnotized by the Vantas' words as everyone else had. Fuck, Vriska wanted more soft words to flow from his chewed lips, past his pearly teeth. The scratch of his words that caught the back of his throat, Vriska adored it. Probably more than she should have. She hadn't realized it then, but she had fallen in love with the taller boy that day. Her cobalt eyes focused on the way his slim fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into the calloused flesh of his palms so hard that they drew minuscule beads of red that seeped through the narrow spaces. Vriska had reached over then; small, caramel toned hands gently prying his nails from the scrapes and rubbed them soothingly. Karkat had lifted the corner of his lips at her, barely a smile, but it was the first smile Vriska had seen since she came here.

"Depression is like...fuck-I dunno. But I know I speak for most people in this room when I say it sucks ass. It fucking sucks; it's hell. And no, we wont get over it, because there's nothing to get over," He looked away from John, meeting everyone's awed faces as his voice got even softer, a smooth honey with that slight twinge of gravel, "We just have to deal with it. Sure, people who had suffered from it and got away from it seem better now, but it's still there. You can tell by the way they struggle to smile as big, the way they revert to old habits from time to time, how-even though they've overcome it-they still go back to a blade, beer or anti-depressants sometimes. It becomes so damn-motherfucking-natural and it takes so much willpower to jump that hurdle."

He looked back to John, eyes darker, as if replicating the blood running through everyone. Then, his scowl returned and his brash behavior made a comeback, "So no, fuckass. Stop talking about depression like it's a cold or some stupid shit that can be 'fixed' with a spoonful of fucking antibiotics." After that, Karkat had stood up and left the room like it never happened. Back to the bedroom he shared with Vriska, to his crowded bed with the blankets that were too thin in the winter and too clingy in the summer, to his poster decorated walls that commercialized rock bands and random artists...to the dark recess of his mind in peace.

[- - -]

That had been about three years ago. Now, Vriska sat comfortably close to Karkat on those cold nights after lights out, enjoying the feel of the boy's chapped but soft lips pressed against her head of messy, strawberry-blonde curls as he murmured songs into her ears that lulled her to sleep. The girl could enjoy running her delicate fingertips along his scarred body on some nights in the summer, when the air was warm and he would take of his shirt to cool down. Though accompanied with much hesitation and reassurances that he's fine and no one would care about how scrawny and gangly he was, how the scars littering his alabaster skin weren't 'ugly' or 'disgusting'. But it was nice, watching his pale cheeks flush ruddy hues when Vriska would through compliments at him. It was also very much appreciated when Karkat would wake her up during an unwanted nightmare with platonic kisses to her forehead and then hold her until she stopped shaking.

Though it twinged something in her heart when she apologized for waking him up, only to find he didn't sleep.

It were these little things that helped Vriska. She had originally been sent here to get over her Narcissistic Personality Disorder along with parasomnia and paranoia, but though she had gotten over her narcissistic ways, she still had problems with the other two, now with the addition of depression; like almost everyone here. It was only a matter of time before someone got it here eventually. So there was really no point in trying to stop it when this was the reason for them feeling it in the first place.

Now, Vriska sat on her dull, sea-foam green comforter; knees pulled to her chest and head resting in her arms as she thought quietly to herself. She was crying, too, she could feel the warm tears run down her unblemished, caramel cheeks. She didn't actually know why she was crying-it had just started when she thought about her life back at home, knowing she probably wont go back ever.

As she wept quietly, the door to their room opened almost soundlessly. Karkat stood by the door for a moment, trying to decode a puzzle in his head called 'Why is Vriska crying' before shutting the door softly and walked over to the shaking girl. Like every time Karkat had seen the blonde unravel, he mutely wrapped his long arms around her and hauled the smaller girl into his lap to hug her properly. The smaller, curvier teen clung to his slender frame; arms slung around his neck and legs splayed across his thighs with her face buried in his _Twenty One Pilots_ band-tee. Karkat didn't speak until Vriska calmed down, just rocked her back and forth slowly whilst rubbing circles into the back of her Spider-Man t-shirt. 

The blonde looked up at him with watery, cerulean eyes, soft lips turned downwards in misery. The black haired boy tilted his head to the side, face indifferent and eyes holding that bout of compassion that Vriska had come to know so well. Finally, he broke the silence. "You wanna talk about it?" He inquired softly. She shrugged, and sniffed, her nose becoming a blotchy red in contrast to her untouched skin. Karkat nodded and leaned back against the wall, lips moving against her scalp as he sung quietly into her ears until she fell asleep.

Just like every time.

[- - -]

Karkat let the sleeping girl rest against him, her soft cheeks damp with semi-dried tears and her thick eyelashes clumped together with the same watery substance. He continued whispering the lyrics to some of his songs into her golden hair for another half hour before shifting around subtly, gently waking her up by pressing his lips to her forehead. She thought they were platonic, he thought they were platonic...but others knew that somewhere, the little pecks on the cheek or the head weren't as platonic as they hoped. Really, it was more than platonic. Both wanted it to be more than 'just friends', more than 'best friends', but weren't exactly sure how to make a move.

They were all broken and those that somehow formed relationships in this pristine hell were lucky.

So now, as Vriska's sapphire eyes blinked open, Karkat struggled against the need to meet those perfect, cupid-bow lips that formed a pout dazedly. The teenager let one of his rare, _real_ smiles that made his face look younger. The look of pure admiration boiling in the deep pools of redwood he had for eyes. But they were unique; not just a dull garnet like Dave's, no. Karkat's eyes held a more pillar-box scarlet with the tinges of dark grey rings around the edges, flecks of embers creating pomegranate seed patterns in his irises. They reminded Vriska of real [rosewood](https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hobbithouseinc.com%2Fpersonal%2Fwoodpics%2Fbois%2520de%2520rose.htm&bvm=bv.121421273,d.ZGg&psig=AFQjCNEoTwQXbhwMdFH4JzBlh_OSnJPG9A&ust=1462816318838285). Vriska's own eyes reached the tones of the Mediterranean seas he saw as a child. But more blue than green. 

The girl yawned, eyes focused on her friend. His smile lessened until it was no longer there as he stood, hand outstretched. She took it, her hand much smaller in his wan fingers. Their love, though wanting to blossom into something more, was strictly platonic for the time being. 

Bother were unstable mentally, making it difficult to understand what the feel of love was. If they did, they would've been together already.

Yet, they still strolled slowly down the bleached halls. The familiar scent of death, medication and crappy aerosol clung to the walls. The facility was quiet, not a sound heard from the East Wing, where their bedroom was. But it was a comfortable quiet to them, giving them time to think before they had to suffer an hour of 'Group Therapy'. Group Therapy was a chain of activities the entirety of the patients had to get together as one large get-together and have feelings-jams, draw pictures that (quote-unquote) "Show your emotions" and other ridiculous things that did not help your mental or physical state like they claim to do.

The duo neared the common area, a few of their friends already there. The threesome that was Kanaya, Rose and Jade sat in the book corner chatting quietly or reading vampire novels. Tavros and Gamzee were by the window, either talking about miracles and childish dreams or trying to rap and failing. Dave, Terezi and John sat in a triangle over by the large, tatty couch in the center of the room, a bunch of cards set out before them like a game of solitaire. Nine out of sixteen teens were there. Karkat and Vriska went unnoticed, moving to sit in a vacant corner of the room sort of closed off by the open door that lead to the games and movie closet. 

The blonde stretched and crawled into Karkat's lap so she was laying against his abdomen, her legs sprawled out in between his since his were bent up, helping him lean against the wall. She reached up, her beryl painted nails moving along his collarbones and to his mildly sunken cheeks and pressing them, making his lips pout in a way that Vriska thought was adorable. The girl continued squashing his face together or pulled portions of his face lightly in order to make him make funny faces. 

[- - -]

Soon after, others filed into the common area and situated themselves in other parts of the large room, content with talking quietly among themselves. Approximately five minutes after the last few people had come in (Dave and Jade), the therapist stepped into the room with her clipboard underarm and pointed glasses perched on her pointed nose. The woman's face came into a point, like a mouse's and her salt and pepper hair was pulled back into an almost painful bun. Grey eyes observed the peaceful room before she sat at the head of the wooden table near the door she came through.

The elderly woman cleared her throat, "Please come sit at the table." The large group of patients arouse from their places, all coming to sit silently in the chairs.

Dave sat closet to the woman; everyone else straying to the other side of him, almost hiding from her gaze. Karkat sat at the other end of the table, directly across from the therapist; Vriska on his right and Sollux on his left. Next to Sollux was his girlfriend Aradia, then Feferi, Jade, Rose and Kanaya and so on until the table was full. The woman smiled a bitter, uncomfortable smile and pulled a bunch of paper from her large bag along with various packs of pens or pencils before passing them along the group of teens.

The blank paper sat in front of Karkat, a void space that reminded him of his skin when he was younger: untouched, clean and pale. The male shook his head, grabbing the black pen form the pack pens being passed around and began his 'emotional' drawing.

Ten minutes later, everyone had finished and the papers were handed back to the therapist. It was silent as she wrote down her queries of the drawings before holding them up and asking everyone what they think the person felt when they drew it, like they always did. You weren't supposed to write your names on them, so you don't know who drew the sketches. The first one she held up was a very green and very sunny field with strange plushie squids and frogs hopping around. It was obviously Jade's, they all new what everyone did because it was always the same thing over and over again.

A few went by; John's had the regular tornado zooming around with a blue-hooded boy laughing his ass of near by, Kanaya's had the usual woman who cradled a small child clothed in red and grey as the woman wore blacks and greens, Vriska's held the signature spiderweb in the corners with a blue scribble of a ghost in the center and so on until it stopped at [Karkat's](https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi-need-a-simple-hug.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F126008884667&bvm=bv.121421273,d.ZGg&psig=AFQjCNHgpLfotnwVlKMGT6v8THQO8XnwEw&ust=1462891582651283).

And like every time, she stopped and turned it to face her, frown pulling her thin lips into a frown. He always drew something a little morbid for the therapist's taste, despite the fact she should be used to this by now. This time  it had been a person with a striped shirt, hands and head scribbled into a jagged mess that was meant to resemble him not being able to reach reality, stuck in his dark mind that was slowly breaking him. But as always, she just asked the same question;  
"How do you think the person felt when they drew this?" No one answered, eyes all trained on the table. It's the same answer to how most of them felt. Sad. Upset. Angry. Anything, really. However, that's not the answer she wanted. She wanted something like 'they probably felt that they should express their nightmares' or some shit. So another ten minutes stretched where no body moved, not a sound in the vast room. It got too painful for Karkat, the silence sounding like screams in his ears and his blood boiling in his veins.

He lifted his head, scarlet orbs meeting the same dull grey that caged his irises. He took a breath and spoke,

"I think that the person who drew this felt angry. Or maybe lonely, that they feel that they can't reach the sanity that left them. Maybe their mind is slowly making them fall apart, piece by piece. I think they feel confused, unsure of what to do with themselves. That person doesn't know how to feel, how to understand the meaning of emotions, therefore finding it hard to deal with them. Possibly they may feel scared, it could be that they didn't feel anything. They could feel numb, nothing, always feel like they're going to loose themselves to the nothingness that is their brain...fuck-for all we know, he might be on the verge of fucking insanity!" He exclaimed, letting the 'anonymous' person slip. Not that there was much to hide, anyways; everyone knew it was Karkat's drawing.

Vriska reached for his hand under the table, feeling the dampness of nails piercing his skin. Her eyes flickered up to see that his face was agitated, eyes ablaze and teeth grinding. The therapist had written it all down, though she could feel the hatred pouring off of him in waves. 

The silence was too much, everyone's eyes on him made him uncomfortable, like they were expecting him to do something more, expecting more of him. The anger started boiling in his gut and anxiety gnawing everywhere else.

So he stood up, flipped the woman off and left. Walking out of the seemingly frozen room.

[- - -]

Back in the common room, everything was like slow motion. Vriska rose from her seat and all but sprinted after her fleeting friend. 

When she slowed to a stop in front of their bedroom, she hesitated before going in. The girl pressed her ear against the door to here ragged breathing and the sound of thumping against the wall.

She sighed, stole herself, and opened the door.

 


	2. 2

_She sighed, stole herself, and opened the door._

[- - -]

 

What she saw was something she wasn't exactly used to. Her panicked friend was standing by the window, banging his head repeatedly against the wall. The thumps were louder without the door blocking the sound; a painful sound of hollow drywall colliding with his forehead. Vriska slowly approached, cautious of Karkat's reaction. It was strange seeing Karkat unravel slightly, letting his anger out through self infliction. Sure, she'd known that he cut, attempted to kill himself on multiple occasion, they all had. But she'd never seen him cry, never seen it actually happen. It was always Vriska who let herself go, let it out, let tears fall; Karkat being the knight in blood-stained armor to save her.

Her caramel hands came into contact with his hunched shoulder and the banging stopped immediately. Startled, he flinched under her touch, eyes wide and lips forming a small 'O'. "V-Vriska..I-I uh." She silenced him with a smile, a manicured finger pressing his soft lips closed lightly. "You're sounding like Tavros. Just calm down." She cooed, leading him away from the wall to sit on his bed, lengthy hand clasped in her petite one.

She could tell he felt as strange about this as she did-again, their positions were usually switched.

Vriska flashed him another smile, quietly enjoying the sun's orange light splattering pools of color onto his ashen skin; illuminating his plush lips, making his red eyes light up with a fire that had withered away long ago. The girl engrossed herself in the beauty that was Karkat Vantas.

The way his messy hair stood out like a sore thumb in the ward was astonishing, taking her breath away whenever he ran a pale hand through it. She yearned for the times he'd take off his shirt and lay with her on her bed, trusting her to keep his marked body a secret, allowing her to run her soft fingertips over the curves and bumps of his back...he trusted her. That made her heart speed up and grow fuzzy and warm. He's done so many things for everyone, even if they didn't realize it; before their time in this hell, he had still done so much for them. And even now, just feeling his hands in hers made her want to bundle him up and keep him to herself, protect him from the horrors of the universe.

Even though he had already seen most of them.

Looking into his eyes now, a deep contrast between cobalt and scarlet, she could feel a foreign connection between them. Something the others didn't quote grasp. Sure, they had love and they had friendships, but they had that and more. A feeling without a name, something that ensured their safety in each other. A feeling that the others didn't have, nor could they ever in this prison. Hope, maybe? No, even more than that.

Vriska hadn't realized she had been staring until Karkat shifted slightly, eyes flickering away to the dying sun then back. She smiled again, feeling waves of tiredness wash over her. Sighing, she pulled him down to lay noiselessly with her on his unmade, mint colored bed. This was what she loved the most; just one touch and he calmed, going placid, like he was slowly letting sleep succumb to him. She knew that he would stay awake, even after she had fallen into a dreamless bliss. So, as the bell for dinner rang, neither moved. It was quiet, no static in their heads, no sudden feel of anxiety, no random sparks of guilt that spawned seemingly out of nowhere...nothing. It was pure and utter peace.

[- - -]

Not ten minutes later, a harsh knock echoed through the room. Both teens had just been enjoying a tranquility that doesn't come form hanging with the group, only to be disrupted by presumably one of the members of said group. Karkat stiffly arose, biting back a pained groan from the pins and needles shooting up his legs as he shuffled to the door. He instantly missed the warmth of his friend.

His bony fingers wrapped around the hand, pulling the door open to glare at whomever had decided to interrupt his quiet time. The small, energetic figure of Nepeta Leijon jumped up and down, her olive coat waving around as she giggled. Her deep, murky green eyes met his unyeildingly, "Karkitty! Aren't you and Vriskers coming to dinner?" She pouted slightly, blue cat-hat falling to the side slightly, as if mimicking her emotions. The older bit his lip hesitantly. He looked back into the bedroom, glancing at Vriska for confirmation. She sighed exasperatedly, shrugging indifferently. The male looked back to the twelve year old and nodded, and shut the door after watching her scamper back down the halls to the mess-hall.

He trudged around the room, pulling his boots back on and stretched for the ceiling; back popping in places satisfyingly.

He smirked slightly as he glimpsed Vriska cringe at the noise before zipping her Spider-Man hoodie and instinctively reaching for his hand. Now, hand in hand, the pair slowly made their way to the cafeteria. As always, Karkat grabbed a large cup of coffee and nothing else, waiting patiently for Vriska to pile her tray with whatever was offered as a meal. Usually, everyone's 'meal' consisted of a cup of random pills, a grey-green slosh that reminded the boy of gruel and a cup of water. But sometimes something else was served, like today: hamburgers and fries with a side of cola.

After gathering her food, Vriska strode over to the main table, where everyone was talking animatedly to one another, some just enjoying each other's presence. And, as if a routine, Karkat hesitated before shuffling over and sitting close to Vriska, fighting the urge to pull her into his lap. He instead went with wrapping his arms loosely around her waist after chugging half his coffee. He placed his chin on her shoulder, eyes closed and breathing even. He felt the familiar hand of blue painted nails card through his unruly locks soothingly, the other sensing his slight discomfort in being around the others after such a short period of time after his outburst. It felt nice, too nice. Was this a dream? Was life giving him a break? What the fuck was going on-this wasn't normal.

But he couldn't fight the soft hum lulling him to sleep.

[- - -]

Vriska tried to relax as Karkat subtly fell asleep on her shoulder, trying to hide the joyous victory beneath a layer of calmness. This was a new turn, Karkat never fell asleep. But it was a good change, maybe he'd sleep a full night, though that might be a stretch.

When the nurses and scrub-clothed people came in, ushering the patients out of the hall, Vriska attempted to get up without waking up the boy. She failed miserably. He woke with a start; vermilion eyes snapping open and blinking furiously as he stood, reaching back to lean against the wall for support. His hand intertwined with his after a minute, letting her guide him to their bedroom where he collapsed onto his hard mattress and groaned sleepily.

She knew he wouldn't be settling for a while, so she sat on the bed with him, rubbing circles into his back through his thin shirt. She could feel the heat radiate off his skin, the heat of the finally setting sun still remaining in the air. It had been a very hot and busy day, Karkat was bound to be boiling right now. She removed her hoodie, sitting in her tank-top and jeans with him as he suffered in his shirt and dark jeans. "Karkles, take off your shirt?" She suggested, cool hand being held to his warm cheek. He furrowed his eyebrows, cheeks dusting slightly at the thought. Karkat shook his head reluctantly, his free hand clutching the hem of his shirt. "Why not? You'll be fine, no one but me is going to see." She reasoned. He still shook his head, letting her hand drop from his face and hugging his legs to his chest. She pouted, eyes big and pleading as she let her fingers rub that certain area of his neck that made him putty in her hands. With so many forces working together, he found it hard to resist when she pulled the fabric over his head. He remained mute, laying back onto the pillows, hands hovering over a fresh mark on his chest. 

The attempts to hide the wound were useless, Vriska picking up on it immediately. She frowned, but said nothing. She simply hugged him and pulled the curtains closed. She pressed her cool cheek against the angry red cut, the burning sensation leaving, if only for a while.

They lay like that, Karkat muttering soft songs into her golden hair. Vriska's hands travelling his arms, torso and anywhere else until both of them were calmer than ever, and for the first time in forever, both got a full night's sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short-it's currently 4 AM where I am, I have school in four hours and I've been up since Tuesday ~Max


	3. 3

He woke to the sound of bottles being shook, small tablets hitting a soft surface. Karkat didn't open his eyes, somewhat content in keeping them closed. His roommate huffed a chuckle as he rolled over, the soft light glaring directly into his face. The boy sighed and cracked one ruby orb open. Vriska stood before him, cup of water in one hand and a pile of pills in the other. 

It was obvious they were hers, there were mixes of white and blue in the crappy concoction. The blonde quickly downed the medication with the water before sitting next to him, a smile on her face. Karkat groaned, eyes lazily tracing the bow of her lips and the curves of her hips. "Did they give you some new shit or what? You look high." He grumbled, reaching over for his discarded shirt. His roommate just shrugged; he didn't miss how her cool fingers traced kept waving around in an attempt to keep them to herself. "Nothing, just..." She paused, contemplating whether to say. She did eventually, "Enjoying the lovely view of a shirtless Karkles." The boy's cheeks warmed considerably, smudging his alabaster face a bright carmine.

"Shut up, Serket." He murmured, playing with the hem of his shirt. The girl just shrugged, splaying herself across his legs and reached up with her hands. The smooth surface of her palms rested on his hot cheeks, cooling them immediately. Her plush lips grinned broadly, like every morning. "C'mon, it's breakfast time." Really? It was already 7:35? Damn, he slept in...he hadn't done that since forever. He arose, his feet slipping into battered boots and a hoodie shrugged over his shoulders. 

Vriska grabbed his hand, tugging him along the halls. A simple glimpse at one of the large mirrors hanging on the walls made his stomach clench. Karkat's eyes looked dead, even worse with the deep bruises under them. His face was a sickly pale, lips dry and teeth digging into them. He looked half alive, not fully there. He shook his head and continued to the cafeteria with his friend and sat at his usual place with his usual cup of coffee, which had it's usual cringe-worthy taste of Styrofoam that it left behind afterwards. Everything was usual, if you hadn't noticed. Vriska was busy chatting away with friends, talking about nonsensical things that really meant nothing to the tall boy. John and Jade, along with Nepeta, Tavros and Feferi were too joyful, as always. Eridan was whining like a baby, Sollux was attempting to ignore the fishy male in order to converse with his girlfriend, Aradia. Rose and Kanaya were reading together as their third member of the relationship told joyous stories to the younger patients. Dave was having hateful rap battles against Gamzee as Terezi sat between them, laying down 'sick beats' in the background.

Equius was listening to Vriska's jokes and charismatic talk with Nepeta (of course) accompanied by a few others. Just a simple buzz in the back of his mind. It was a simple morning, no immediate need to do anything besides sit there and ponder why the fuck he was alive. Just another Friday morning; his nimble fingers reaching out to dump spoon after spoon after spoon of sugar into his cup of coffee. Then, the idea of kissing Vriska popped into his vacant mind. Her soft, full lips moving against his in unison, dancing a slow dance. His hands snaking around her curved hips to rest on the small of her back, her own petite hands coming to tangle themselves in his inky curls. That would be nice; just laze around in their room, enjoying the warmth of each other.

But that would never happen.

Karkat sighed absently, finally placing the spoon on an unused napkin and raising the steaming drink to his deprived lips. The drink was still scalding, the temperature nearly burning his calloused hand through the insulated material. Nevertheless, he took a generous sip, the thick fluid leaving an itchy sensation in his throat. Like a trail of fire roaring to life. It hurt, sure, but it's not like he cares. All the young Vantas really cared about was why time was a thing. Because, in all honesty, time wasn't a thing-it didn't exist; merely a fragment of words that told you when to do things, and even then: there really was no 'when' to do something.

Because, when it comes to the subjects of things that were only told through words, it didn't really exist. It was just a jumble of words that manipulated people into believing something that wasn't real. It was a sound that rolled off people's tongues, only to be sucked into the vacuum of space. Time was a perfect example: though there are clocks and watches to 'prove' that it's real, it still isn't.

...A little off topic, but the author won't bother in deleting that idiocy in order to get this story to make sense, Karkat knows that. But as always, his few moments alone in the dark abyss he claimed a mind, Karkat was interrupted by some form of human life. Fuck life. Fuck it with a ten foot pole that had just been resting in burning irons.

Terezi had cackled much louder than necessary, forcing Karkat to look up at her. She was laughing at an un-funny joke that Strider had initiated, which was a regular occurrence. No one really understood the relationship she had with Dave, nor the one she had with Gamzee. She obviously hated Gamzee, as did Dave, but she never strayed away from him like a normal person would (but no one was normal here). He'd have to ask Nepeta about her ships at some point, though the idea of talking with the autistic girl made him want to cringe. It just...she's too hyper, energetic and it was obvious she had a crush on him. He didn't want to be mean, but he wasn't interested, so it always made interactions with her slightly awkward for him. Plus, her horse-fucker friend would most likely crush him to a pulp if he hurt her feelings.

He's been through enough beatings from various people, thanks.

[- - -]

Nurses and doctors flowed into the large room, clipboards and pens in gloved hands and white coats fluttering around their legs.

Most eyes strayed onto the other patients with more attention-needing problems, like Gamzee, who had Split Personality Disorder. Or Tavros, who had Trauma, sever anxiety and a speech impediment. Soon, a little lady with a pastel pink wrap on her head came and sat with Vriska and Karkat. Her cheeks were a healthy peach, eyes a dark brown and her blue button-down shirt accented her delicate yellow skirt beautifully. This was Ms Paint, the only woman in this damn facility who didn't prod him in random places, didn't write down every single little thing he did, didn't push him too far. Yes, Ms Paint was a kind and caring woman.

With a clipboard in hand and a glittery pen in the other, she scribbled a few small sentences onto the lined paper in practiced, cursive writing. ' _Good morning. How are you?_ ' It did help a little that she was mute. It meant a quieter atmosphere when she was around. In reply to inquiries, Karkat shrugged. "Fan-fucking-tastic. What about you? Slick treating you fine?" It wasn't a secret that Karkat's uncle was married to Ms Paint, a true pairing in his opinion. Though their conversations were naturally short, they were enough to get some sliver of information for whomever ran this place.

The two sat in silence for a while, the stout woman humming a cheery note under her breath in failed attempts to drown out the unsettled hum of professionals weaseling information out of patients. A particular man was trying to calm a frantic looking Kanaya, who was ranting about how the paintings on the walls weren't of equal space away from each other. Karkat could only huff a chortle, fondness brightening his mood slightly.

The sound of a pen tapping against paper drew his attention back to his own little nurse. Another few sentences that made him shift slightly and an embarrassed blush splatter his face. ' _Any romantic interests? I've seen you hanging out with the Serket girl a lot_ '. The teen spluttered, slender hands flying to cover the curly writing. "No! No, no, no, no and fucking no," He hissed, nails clawing into the paper. Ms Paint merely giggled, a fragile hand coming up and ruffling his messy bedhead. "Well...maybe. I don't fucking know," He grumbled at a low volume, "I'm not saying it's a possibility, but it's not an impossibility either." He whispered, ruby eyes trained on her coal ones. She cracked a grin so large, it was a miracle it didn't split her face in half.

' _Aww! Little crab loves the spider!_ ' The simple letters on the paper made his face flush even harder; if he attended a contest for best tomato impression, he'd win for sure. Ms Paint simply giggled into her hand, reaching over and smothering his blazing face in feather-light pecks. "Paint! No, no, no-stop!" He groaned, finally escaping her motherly grasp in order to catch his breath. They were getting no work done, they were aware. However, it was nice to have small moments like this, an aunt and a nephew goofing around. Heartwarming, in a way.

[- - -]

Soon, it was time for the adults to leave. The large group of teens were told to go and 'play' in the entertainment center/common area as they waited to be called to their private therapists. A therapy room was around the corner from the common area where people would be called to spill their guts onto a therapist, who would try to pry their mind apart, discover all their secrets and so on. Hopefully Karkat wouldn't be chosen today. Normally, when the patient came out, they'd be teary eyes, a look of pure sorrow etched onto their faces afterwards.

Ten minutes of intense waiting later, a person was called. The tall, willowy woman (the therapist) called out, "Karkat Vantas, please come with me." Of course it would be him. Luck hated him. He'd have to ask Vriska for a little of it later, 'cus y'know: she has _'aaaaaaaall'_ the luck. But he didn't stand up, oh no. Like hell was he going to make it easy-he hated this. The lady called again, pen already jotting notes on her clipboard. The teen still didn't stand up. 

He and Vriska continued to hide behind the game room's door, the shadow effectively hiding them from sight. Another call of his name, no answer. Then, with an exasperated sigh, she called a different person. Karkat fought back the urge to yell out in victory, guilt pooling in his gut; Tavros had been called. Not to be mean (it'd kinda hard-it's in his DNA), but the youngest Nitram always came out with fat beads of water streaming down his pudgy cheeks. Half the time Gamzee would take him to his room to presumably console him.

Vriska, as if reading his mind, reached up with a delicate hand and papped his cheek with her hand. Her full lips curved into a smile, a soft one reserved for only the most special of people. She stood, pulling the taller with her and they escaped the room without being noticed.

Flopping onto his bed, Karkat groaned loudly. His back hurt from being so tense all the time and he had a migraine brewing. He felt like doing things that were messy and tended to get alot of red liquid stained everywhere. But he fought back that urge and decided to distract himself with the mess of golden tangles that was Vriska's hair. After a while, the blonde broke the silence with a giggle, "How was Ms Paint?" The boy could only shrug, "She was fine, same as always. Though, she's taken a fucking interest in my love-life, which is slightly unsettling." Though words were harsh and hurtful, they meant no harm; his voice laced with adoration and ligthearted teasing.

Vriska quirked an eyebrow, "Oh? And who is the lucky guy or girl?" Karkat shook his head, a smile tugging his lips. Though cunning and smart, Vriska really was oblivious. "Oh, just a certain girl." That's all the bait she'll get, nothing more than that. "'Just a certain girl'? C'mon, Karks. You gotta give me more than that!" She cried, falling back onto the bed with a soft thump. Karkat smirked at her, a thing he wasn't used to doing around other people. "Nope. No more, no-fucking-less. I'm not leaving my matchmaking to a wily spider." The 'spider' mocked hurt, hand placed on her chest and mouth hung open slightly. It was soon washed away when her friend leaned forward and pulled her close, back to the position they were in earlier. "How about we watch _Spider-Man_ again, yeah?" The taller suggested, already pulling his laptop onto Vriska's legs and playing around with icons and other various things that made no sense to the girl.

She nodded, already forgetting their previous subject at the mention of her favorite superhero.

[- - -]

Lunch time rolled round, a simple knock rattling the door. Vriska arose from the bed, movie paused, and she opened the barrier between the hall and her room. Before her stood three fine ladies; Kanaya, Rose and Jade. The three lesbians smiled, "Lunch time!" Before turning to leave. With that, the blue eyed girl shut the door and leaned against it for a minute. One look at her roommate said he didn't want to leave, neither did she. "D'ya think we'll get in trouble for not leaving?" Her friend shrugged and laid back on the bed. "Only one way to find out." He sighed, nimble fingers rubbing his eyes. True. So Vriska skipped back over to the other and shifted around to make herself comfortable. The taller reached over and placed the laptop back on her legs and proceeded to watch _Spider-Man 2._ With the atmosphere calm and cozy, the pair relaxed until the stillness was interrupted by a knock on the door. Both ignored it and proceeded to watch the last ten minutes of the movie peacefully. Lunch wasn't a necessity, with dinner not three hours away.

More knocks continued to bang on the door, but was solved with raising the volume from the portable computer. Soon, the sharp raps of knuckles against wood dispersed. And soon after that, the end credits rolled in and the movie was over. The playlist set up on the screen continued randomly choosing a song that was also installed onto the playlist, a ukulele strummed quietly. Karkat recognized it instantly, _'Falling in love with you'_ cover by _Twenty One Pilots_. it was a lovely little serenade, often played for lovers. But he was bored, so was Vriska.

So he stood up, pulling the slighter with him and clasped her hands in his own. She giggled and rolled her eyes. As the song played, The duo waltzed around lazily, stifling laughter like a bunch of dolts. It was a sappy, ridiculous scene, but it fitted the setting quiet well. The sun was high in the sky, but through the thin curtains, it painted the room glorious yellows and oranges. The warmth of the room helped make it more relaxing and in the small space, the two ensued a struggled Waltz-Box-Step in the center of the bedroom. If one were to witness this scene, they would be to think it was from a romcom. Vriska and Karkat sung along quietly to the lyrics, smiling and staring at each other like the love-sick teens they were.

"Wise men say, 'only fools rush in'

But I can't help falling in love with you,"

Little did the two kids know that a small group were watching through the keyhole or listening through the thin walls. Terezi, Nepeta, Equius and Dave watched outside. Terezi was whispering all sorts of things to her, sniffing the wall intently to see the couple through the wall. Nepeta was conflicted, on one hand she shipped them so hard, her heart might burst. But on the other, she felt heart-broken. Karkitty had been her silly crush since she first met him, and now a wily spider had stole him instead. Equius patted her shoulder sympathetically as the younger watched through the keyhole. Dave listened mutely, leaning casually against the wall. 

"Shall I stay? Would it be a sin?

If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows, surely to the sea,"

Terezi hummed, "Y'know, they're not that compatible. So you should be fine, Nep." It did little to reassure the matchmaker, whose eyes were sad and depressed. "You don't get Purrezi," She sighed, standing and beckoning them to follow, deciding it best to leave them in peace. The redhead cocked her head, hand in hand with Dave. "What do you mean? They're friends, nothing more." The shorter simply shook her head, taking her friend's spare hand and swinging it between them.

"You see the way they look at each other? Karkitty and Vriskers never look at anyone like that," She paused again, other hand reaching down to stuff itself in her olive trenchcoat's pocket, "They way she smiles all sunny and pretty for him? How he smiles back? Furrends don't smile like that, Purrezi," The twelve year old sighed in defeat, her best friend's large hand patting her shoulder. Terezi remained silent with Dave. "Y'know how Karkitty sometimes puts his hand on Vriskers' back when she's down? Rubs circles and little patterns there? You don't see furrends don't do that." Her murky green eyes became glossy and unfocused as the squad walked away from Karkat and Vriska's room.

"You see how Vriskers pays full attention when he talks? Remember the furrst time Karkat chewed out John? She never focuses so much on one perrson." She continued with her cat-puns a strange sense of enlightenment coming from them. In Nepeta's peripheral vision, she could see her roleplay friend start to wince tenderly, starting to notice the small gestures. "Do you hear how Karkitty quietens down when he hangs with Vriskers? They just sit in that corner and talk really quietly? Furrends don't speak like that." As the autistic girl proceeded to point things out to the blind girl, she suppressed her tears. She was happy for Karkat. "Anyone can see it, Purrezi. They're not quite furrends anymore...they just don't realize it."

 So, Nepeta, Terezi, Dave and Equius continued to lunch without the (want to be) couple. Nepeta happy for her crush, Equius sad for his best friend, Terezi and Dave somewhat cool with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long. I'm not sure with this ending.


	4. 4

Vriska woke up to the moon shining through the gap between the curtains, glowing in her eyes. The blonde frowned and turned over to face Karkat, who lay on his own bed across the room.

The boy looked so surreal; his pale skin snow white in the moon's shimmer, his thick hair spread around his head like a halo of somber tendrils. Karkat's face was peaceful, his full lips parted and eyes closed pleasantly. His eyebrows weren't creased, his eyes-those heartbreaking eyes-weren't narrowed in distrust. The Vantas boy was slumbering for what was probably the longest time yet-three whole nights in a row. For an unknown reason, that made a burst of pride swell in Vriska's chest.

That had been happening alot as of late.

The spider-lover shook her head absently, a hum or grunt of some sort coming from the now stirring Karkat. The other's eye blinked open, rubies and secrets spilling from them. They made the deep, seemingly permanent circles around his eyes look all the more darker, which pulled a minuscule wince to the girl's features. She didn't want Karkat to be tired-she wanted him to be healthy, loud and as attentive as when they were younger. Back then, they had been mere, carefree teenagers wanting nothing more than to stay together. To be free, to love, to _be_ loved...for the hurting to stop.

Vriska frowned, oceanic eyes dropping to stare at her small hands. The brunette hummed again, slender hands reaching up to rub the heals of his hands into his eye sockets. "Vris? V...fuck." He slurred, eyes blinking owlishly as they searched the room for his friend. His confused and dazed gaze focused on Vriska, an unreadable look to his sleep-riddled expression, "What're you doin' up?" He slurred again, propping himself up on his elbows as he turned to face the younger. She'd never understand how he knew she was awake. But..he just knew. Like a mind-link or something. The Serket girl shook her head, smiling sleepily, "No reason. Just woke up." She murmured, sitting up also.

A blood-curdling shriek split the air.

It sounded like Gamzee's, making the boy rise immediately. Vriska worried at her lip, hesitantly standing with him. By the time her legs started to work, Karkat had already slammed the bedroom door open and was sprinting down the halls to the post-drug addict's room. Vriska shifted her weight, trying to see her options:

 

Option One, which she wasn't really comfortable with: Running after her roommate and suffer Gamzee's sudden panic attacks, which did not end well for the person who had to consult him.  
Option Two: She stayed in the comfort of her blankets and hope that Karkat came back unharmed.  
And Option Three: She ran after him like a love-struck idiot and helped pacify the juggalo.

 

Vriska was leaning towards option two, then she heard Karkat's voice raise. It was the loudest he had ever been inside these pristine walls. She stole herself, sucked in a breath, and ran after the idiot Vantas. Her hair was whipping into her face, sudden yells from the nurses and other night-staff filled her ears and further ahead she could see a hazy mess of black hair, wide eyes and tall bodies.

She slowed, placing a hand on Karkat's shoulder. His hands twitched, but he was stock-still. Before him stood Gamzee, who was somehow taller than Karkat by a head and a half. His deep, indigo eyes were bloodshot, pupils blown wide and his breathing was ragged. His mess of curly, brown hair was even messier: he had been pulling at it in panic. The younger but taller boy had his teeth clenched and his fists were clamped onto Karkat's wrists, already bruising the ghostly flesh. He was shaking his head frantically, tanzanite orbs staring fearfully into a pair of rubies. Karkat's wrists were morphing an ugly yellowish purple under Gamzee's dark fingers. He was murmuring words over and over again, "No, bro...y-they're gonna...I-I can't..."

The staff were closing in on the trio, syringes of sedation in their gloved hands. As one got close enough to touch the youngest Makara, Gamzee jumped and whimpered whilst Karkat growled lowly. Vriska bit her lips and backed away as the black haired boy gently and calmly pried Gamzee's fingers away from his wrists, his look becoming somber as he turned to the offending staff.

Karkat licked his lips and gave his friend a wobbly smile, strained and held back anger. He reached up, pet Gamzee's curls and ruffled them before he took his large hand in his slender one and carefully lead him to his room. Vriska started walking after them, reaching for the paler boy's spare hand only to feel a firm hand clamped on her shoulder. She turned to see Ms Paint, her dark eyes a little tired and her pretty pink lips stretched into her motherly smile. The short woman only came up to Vriska's chest, but she still felt much bigger than Vriska, considering how big her personality is. The small lady placed a finger to her lips and took her hand, leading her the opposite way the boys had gone. 

Ms Paint, being one of the head nurses of the ward, shooed all the other staff away, glaring menacingly at one when he started to protest. Something along the lines of, "But he needs to be sedated!"

The taller sighed and let her be tugged back to her room, not having enough energy to fight. When Ms Paint sat Vriska on her bed, pulling the comforter up to her chin as the teenager got comfortable, she smiled again. She cupped Vriska's cheek with her hand and kissed the girl's forehead in that way that just made your stomach lurch with nostalgia. 

When her fingers curled around the door's handle, Vriska furrowed her eyebrows, "Will Karkles be back?" She asked in an uncharacteristically small voice. Worry ebbed at the back of her mind, the rest being occupied by images of her favorite friend. Ms Paint nodded, smirking knowingly at the spider-lover before waving and closing the door with a soft click.

[- - -]

Vriska's eyes shot open to the sound of the door opening.

A long, weary sigh crackled against a dry throat as it tumbled from chapped lips. Eyes that sparkled in the moon's light were half-lidded and struggled to stay open, full and chapped lips were bloody from bites and slightly swollen from a flailing Gamzee. Defined cheeks and perked nose were flushed lightly and his eyes were red-rimmed. But Karkat turned to see Vriska, a smile ghosting his lips, "Mornin'." He yawned softly, trudging over on shaky legs to his friend's bed. A hand ran through her hair, skilled fingers easily untangling the knots in the golden threads and massaging her scalp in that way she just couldn't resist. "Morning." She greeted back, her voice still small and laced with sleep. The boy chuckled, a breathy laugh in his chest. His tired eyes carried bags darker than his hair and only seemed to get darker by the day, but they lit up. 

His dead, bored and tired eyes lit up.

It only then occurred to Vriska. Gamzee hadn't had a withdrawal since before this god-forsaken hospital, no one had been the same since this living hell. No problems for him to solve, no conflicts for him to even out, no small cat girls asking to draw with him, nothing was normal. A small panic attack from Gamzee was like a feeling of home, in a sadistic sort of way. It was a small glimpse of the life before this dull, blatant routine. Despite the past hour of torturous screaming and broken cries from the scared and startled boy, Karkat felt rejuvenated. He felt like he could go into that therapist's stuffy office and let her pick him apart and analyze him like a rare specimen, maybe make an attempt to break out, he felt... _agitated_.

He felt that familiar twang of home that came with that nostalgic worry of Gamzee going on a rampage.

He thrived for that small burst of annoyance that came with the aftermath of dealing with a-what he had come to call-'sober' Gamzee.

And that was probably bad, considering how mellow and sickly sweet everything had become, but it brought out a part of him that he thought had withered away and died in the confines of his ashen heart.

In simple words, he felt alive again. Maybe that wasn't so bad.

However, he had a questioning gaze set on him, Vriska's oceanic eyes raking his face in confusion. It was then that he noticed a scowl on his face, his mouth set in a line and eyes hard-set. Blue eyes widened and glimmered with recognition, a faint smile on her lips, "Hi Karkat." She said, his scowl lessened and his eyes dimmed once again, "Hi Vriska." Silence filled the room as gloomily as a body filled a coffin after that. The angry expression fleeting from his face as fast as a shadow. "Get some sleep, Vris." He smiled, that small little quirk of his lips, making Vriska feel safe.

At least that feature of Karkat's hadn't left.

Vriska pulled the boy into her embrace, making him loose balance and lay next to her. The homely feel of little to no breathing space between them comforted her, their noses nearly touching and lips barely inches apart, they both breathed the same air. The mix of cherries and blueberries from both counterparts, creating a strange yet lovable tang of blue raspberry lingering. Karkat had the sudden urge to close the space between, stealing her lips in a kiss. He stopped himself, unsure of the sudden feeling of warmth seeping into his chest cavity. Startling sapphire started into sleepy sangria, a wary smile dancing on both kids' lips.

Begrudgingly, Vriska let her eyes close, just like Karkat's had requested. But not before her small hands found nimble fingers and intertwined them with her own, her lips parting, "Only if you do, too." To her surprise, she felt Karkat nod. Another scratchy chuckle catching the back of his throat. She felt his strong arms envelope her form, his body curling around her protectively and his chin resting on her head. "Promise." He whispered. 

The sad truth was that they both new it was a promise he couldn't keep, a promise that was just like saying he wouldn't one day try to overdose.

The same went for Vriska: a promise from her lips was like sealing your fate with sadness and tears.

Both fell into a dreamless slumber, breathing peaceful and eyes closed, un-moving. A deep contrast of light and dark skin, hair darker than midnight and hair brighter than the sun, eyes complete opposites. And yet, a foreign beauty came from the pair, like yin and yang. The moon was starting to fall, the sun's light spilling daintily over the treeline, the moon's last stars whispering their final secrets to the violet sky.

[- - -]

Hacking and retching noises came from the bathroom.

The bathroom door being relatively near the end of Vriska's bed, she heard the sounds of someone throwing up in gruesomely high definition. The tall, human radiator had left her bed, presumably to spill his stomach contents into the toilet bowl. Vriska arose groggily, palming her eyes and glaring at the harsh light coming through the window.

She stood on stiff legs and shuffled to the bathroom door, knocking idly, "Karkles? You 'kay in there?" A harsh cough followed by a sharp gasp was her reply, before a weak voice was heard, "I...Fuck yeah, man. I'm peachy as fuck." No sarcasm was laced in his words, no bitter comment about how obvious it was that he was vomiting. Just a croaky voice saying he was a peach. She tried the handle, finding that it twisted under her influence, the door popping open to reveal a sickly Karkat doubled over the toilet. His eyes were watery, cheeks flushed and his grip on the sink had his knuckles turning white. Vriska knitted her eyebrows at the scene. Karkat reached and flushed the toilet, water washing away the little he had thrown up. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled wearily at his roommate, a dazed look on his face.

Vriska filled a cup with water and placed it in his hand, closed the toilet's lid and sat on it, cheek resting against the heal of her hand. "What happened?" She asked, fingers now curling golden coils in her hair. Karkat shook his had slowly, taking a delicate sip from the cup, "I woke up, the world tipped and I needed to throw up, that's what fucking happened." He growled, hand still clutching his shirt above his stomach loosely. Vriska flinched, the harsh tone of his voice a painful remembrance of young, fourteen year old Karkat Vantas.

She didn't know what happened over the past day and a half, but she was unsure whether to like it or not.

The boy wiped his mouth again, taking a smaller sip of water, "I'm fine now. Go back to bed." He murmured over the rim, eyes trained on her movements like a wolf watching his pup: cautious and careful. The girl frowned, eyebrows drawn together as she looked at the shaken boy leaning against the sink, "Only if you do, too." He closed his eyes as he shook his head, a microscopic grin tugging his lips, "Promise." A repeat of the conversation before, empty promises disguised as lies.

Nevertheless, the both sighed and stood, re-entering the shared bedroom and heading to their respectful beds. Karkat tossed and turned, struggling to become comfortable. Vriska watched for a while, her cerulean eyes drowsy and breathing slow, "Karkles?" Said boy stopped shifting in the tangled sheets, his uncomfortable gaze setting on her comfy form. He hummed, eyebrow lifting. The Serket sighed and lifted the cool comforter, displaying the large space next to her on the single bed. Her small frame didn't take up much, nor did his skinny body, but both of them together still didn't take up all of the bed. It might as well have been a double bed, in all honesty. The boy sighed and slipped from his hot and bothering blanket, all but diving into the offered space beside his friend. "Thanks." He sighed, his arms instinctively wrapping around her torso, her head tucked under his chin. And like always, her petite hands moved up and curled fists into his baggy band tee that was big enough for two people.

This was a routine that didn't make Karkat want to break down and shove his fingers down his throat. it was a welcomed action that could happen over and over and over, and still not make him feel like he needed to curl up into a ball and swallow more sleeping pills than necessary. Yes, this was nice. Laying with her favorite boy, his arms caging around her like a protective layer and his soft breaths against her scalp was lovely, so was his low voice, singing quietly like a soft lullaby that dragged her to sleep. He hadn't done that in a while, so the sudden sound breaking the silence made her heart beat a little faster. It was a song that meant everything to the pair, something heartfelt and emotional, a deep connection beyond the words and noise.

" _You're a mess, tangled with your confidence.._ "

At the gentle tones and feather-light touches to her waist and her arms, her eyes closed and her breathing deep.

[- - -]

Karkat didn't sleep. Didn't stop singing until the sun started glaring through the curtains, shining on his snow white skin. His marred, bruised and ugly flesh. Large, disgusting hand marks wrapped around his thin wrists menacingly, a deep mulberry-blue staining his skin. He didn't mind them, just another addition to his temporary gallery. His permanent collection was more hidden, under his shirts and under his jeans, hidden from the judging stares and the pitiful glances. 

The boy smiled ruefully to himself.

It was a shame, really. All this 'beautiful' skin was once flawless, smooth and untouched...then he discovered the world. He realized the harsh reality and the pain and found a way to escape. The entire reason he was sent here was because his brother had found him trying to chug a bottle of soap. He wasn't even sure if that was lethal or not. He mulled over it for a while, trying to remember how dangerous it was to swallow chemicals.

Then, as the sun started dappling pools of light over her fair skin, Vriska yawned and opened her eyes again, "Morning." She murmured. Karkat left his dark pit of a mind and looked down at her, an indescribable look on his face, "Morning, Vris." She smiled sweetly, her smile as bright as the sun and her eyes sparkled in the early morning light. Then she frowned, confidence suddenly plummeting. But the boy watched, unsure what to do.

However, Vriska stole herself, bit her lip and sighed.

"Can I tell you something? Like, something that's reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaally important." She inquired, seriousness strained in her groggy morning voice. Karkat nodded, a small smile on his face. She sucked in a deep breath, scrunched her eyes closed tightly, "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think i should quit writing crappy fanfics and start writing crappy poems. I mean, c'mon, look at this poetic piece of crap I just typed out ~Max


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I think I forgot to get this fitted into the last chapter:  
> When Karkles threw up, it was because a few minutes prior he had shoved his fingers down his throat. Y'know, cus he's got issues. Just thought I'd clear that up, enjoy the chapter! ~Max

_She sucked in a deep breath, scrunched her eyes closed tightly, "I love you."_

 

The words rung in his ears, like a sound bouncing off of the walls. No, that couldn't be correct. Karkat probably heard her wrong, he was prone to imagining things, after all. But the sincerity in Vriska's words was too real to be fake, the uncertainty in her blue eyes too honest to be unreal. Her lips were caught between her teeth, eyebrows furrowed and eyes wide in anticipation for his answer. 

How can he answer when he doesn't even know said answer?

Well, that wasn't true-he had urges and fantasies he thought wouldn't come true, all revolving around Vriska Serket. So maybe...maybe it would be okay if he said yes? Maybe, maybe, maybe. Or what if she _was_ lying? What if the girl was toying with his heart strings, trying to revive the broken organ so she could have a turn at crushing it? What if-maybe-Vriska was just confused. She hadn't experienced love like some of the others were lucky enough to have tried. However, Karkat had; it hadn't ended well. Yes, maybe Vriska was just confusing the feelings of love for the companionship that she had with Karkat. That was a plausible answer. What if...what if Vriska was being paid to do this? To manipulate him and ruin him for a sum in return?

'What if's, 'maybe's and 'but's were things that joined those three words in his head, echoing in the darkest, deepest corners of his mind. He wouldn't know the answers to his questions unless he replied. So he did. He blinked, licked his lips, trying to find his voice. His horrible, scratchy and pathetic voice.

"...I-I might love you too?" Wow. How brave and bold of you, Karkat. 'I-I might love you too?'; just great. She's gonna think he was under pressure. Her cobalt eyes lit up, a hesitant smile gracing her beautiful lips, "Really?" _No_ , Vriska. He just said that 'cus you said it first and he felt like he couldn't hurt his best friend's feelings.  _Of course_ he loves you, you stupid spider-lover! Karkat grinned dazedly, uncertain and lost. Did he do the right thing? Would they work? Or would they ruin what they had now? Vriska seemed to think it would be fine, though: She squealed, giggled and glomped him in a hug. The blonde was smiling into his shoulder, bursts of laughter bubbling from her chest as she turned to nuzzle the crook of his neck. Karkat blinked a few more times, his hands-thought wrapped around his...friend(?)-pinching himself, trying to see if this was a sickly sweet dream with that same ending that had him wanting to scream when he woke up. But nothing was happening, just an all too familiar weight in his arms and a happy girl for him to hug back.

Eyes that were filled with the seas of the pacific ocean stared into bloody gems of crimson, joyful and cheerful, a sight for sore eyes. Vriska hugged him tighter, lips against his neck as her hands wandered to play with the scars just above his hips. The feather-light touches of her fingers tickled his raised skin, making him smile softly, his nose buried in her hair. "Is it okay I if I kiss you?" She asked, her tone hushed and quiet. He pulled back, lifting a sarcastic eyebrow, lips smirking wryly. " _No, Vriska_. I've been wanting to kiss you for a while, why would I want to do it now, you bitch?" His smirk was covered by a pair of angelic lips that dripped desire, soft and plush against his chapped and dry ones. 

It was silent, the sun was still glaring through the curtains, people were only just starting to rise from their slumber. Vriska's caramel skin felt like warm patches on his hips and waist, as her delicate fingers traced patterns into the marred flesh just above the waistline of his jeans. Noses barely apart, lips inches away and eyes focused on nothing but the other, this was normal. This was safe and this was perfect. No breathing space, oxygen being shared and 'personal space' non-existent between the two. 

This was nice. This was how it was meant to be: carefree and peaceful. 

But then, the door handle twisted and Ms Paint peeped her head through, hands holding two cups of vile concoctions that 'helped' them. She smiled, used to seeing the pair that close, that comfortable in the mornings. The woman patted their heads like they were younger, when she'd come to visit the neighborhood kids with Uncle Slick, she'd giggle lightly and pat their heads as they eagerly awaited for her infamous cookies to be left out on a large plate for them on the Vantas' porch.

Ms Paint left the cups on Vriska's nightstand and left, the door closing with a soft click. Vriska sighed and reached over, about to pull the brim to her lips to swallow them, when Karkat's slender hand gripped her wrist lightly. The girl turned, giving him a befuddled look. Karkat fidgeted, eyes looking everywhere but the girl still on his lap, "Save them." Was all he muttered, releasing her wrists as gently as he had took it. Vriska had never been one to take her pills, but she had never sought to hide them, never entertained the thought of keeping them. But she couldn't bring herself to disobey Karkat, couldn't disagree to those, tired, worn and sleepy sangria gems that screamed for someone in this cruel world. 

So she set the cup back on the nightstand without question, her hands returning back to fiddle with the raises and dips in his sides. "What're you gonna do with them?" She whispered against his lips, pecking him lightly and pulling back. Karkat shrugs, "For emergencies." He replied, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head. Vriska frowned, not getting what he was going to use them for, but found herself not caring. Karkat reached over and shoved the cups under the mattress, to be unseen until further notice. 

The pair arose, yearning to stay alone longer, but knowing that if they skipped another meal that they'd be fucked. The boy stayed quiet, lost in his thoughts as Vriska pulled them reluctantly to the mess-hall, where many others were waiting, chatting and talking excitedly. Vriska piled her tray with whatever slop was being served and sat at her regular spot at the table, Karkat simply grabbing a scalding cup of black coffee before sitting next to Vriska at the end of the table. Kanaya smiled gracefully at him, her jade orbs shining in a way that made him uneasy, "Good morning, Karkat. Are you ready to be seeing your brother and father this week?" 

Wait what.

Karkat forced a laugh, mocking and harsh, "Of course! Who wouldn't want to listen to a fucking social-justice blogger whilst suffering the disappointment from a father who used to be so fucking proud? It'll be great to feel like I fucked up badly for the next week after they leave, too! All part of the fun." He growled, glaring daggers at Kanaya, who raised her eyebrows in return. He slipped again, he was scowling, he could feel it. His mouth set in a half-frown, eyes set in a hard glare and eyebrows knitted. The boy forced himself to breath deeply and let it out in a sigh, "Sorry. How's Porrim? Have you heard from her?" He asked, desperate to change the topic.

The brown haired girl nodded, her fond smile returning, "Yes, she is well. Her relationship with Cronus is going smoothly, she recently made plans to travel to Mexico in a week, to go on tour and meet up with an old friend. It was a pleasure to discover I had a phone call waiting for me with her on the other end. Mother's not doing as good," Her lush lips tipped slightly, fragile hands reaching to smooth out an unruly lock of Karkat's charcoal hair. Her eyes kept glancing from him to the picture behind his head, the frame tilted at an angle. "She recently got ill from a patient she was nursing at the care homes, I think she'll recover shortly, but not before your father goes to visit her in a few days," Kanaya managed to tear her look away from the painting, eyes smiling, "You know how he is, all worried and-" Mad cackling interrupted her sentence, all eyes looking to see Terezi falling back in her chair as she laughed loudly. 

She needed to stop doing that, it was making Karkat feel like he needed to throw a knife at her head of frizzy red hair. 

Kanaya rolled her eyes and tucked a tuft of chocolate tresses behind her ear and reached to feel Karkat's calloused palm in her soft one. She frowned when she felt the stiffness in his fingers, how they were bent in that angle that made people think he wanted to punch a wall, "Karkat? Honey, what's wrong?" Karkat shook his head, glancing at Jade, one of Kanaya's significant others, for help. Her toxic green eyes twinkled as she yipped out a giggle, "Kanaya! Come look at what me and Rose are reading!" She said, tugging on Kanaya's red skirt like a child, redirecting the older's attention to a thick book in between her and the blonde.

Karkat sighed and finally brought the Styrofoam cup to his lips, feeling the lukewarm liquid glide down his throat. He had dumped his necessary sugar before, making the thick substance sweet-ironically, bitterly so. The sweetness made him think of the 'sweet life', being a child was fun. No cares, no worries, not worrying why your mother was constantly disappearing to the hospital or why she stopped returning home...not having to deal with death. 

That seemed to be a common thing in Karkat's life; death. His aunt, Aradia's mother, had always said that Death had his favorites. Whenever he came over to be watched over at the Megido household, the woman would sit them in front of the fire and tell them stories, stories that were her meetings with Death. How she would sit and talk endlessly with him for hours upon hours, about nothing but childish things.

Aradia's mother would pause when after telling how she became one of his favorite's, caressing both youth's cheeks with her china-doll hands. She's smile, her ruddy lips a warm rust in the firelight. "Death has his favorites, like anyone. Those who are beloved of Death will not die," She'd whisper, as if spilling a secret in the playground, her maroon eyes would hold pairs of candy and crimson, "And those beloved of Death will suffer most." How true she had been to her words.

But as the years went by, more and more would become apparent to Karkat. Many had died around him, his pets, distant friends, people who lived in the neighborhood...death was a strong feeling that had always weighed on his shoulders. So, on his final visit to the Megido household a few years ago, he had asked, "Why haven't I died yet?" Ms Megido laughed, ruffling his inky curls, "You are a favored being that Death holds close, small one." That had confused Karkat, making him ask more, "Why?" She never had answered his question. Just watched him with suddenly worn maroon gems, dusty with years and her soul looked like it would leave any second. What she did say, however, was more confusing than the reason why Death loved him so much, "You aren't as lucky as Aradia seems to think. Death favors you for your way of dealing with pain. Be careful, small one."

And that's how he was here, thinking and mulling over those memories as he continued to sip from his bitterly sweet coffee. What a lovely thing to think about when his father and his brother were coming to visit later. Vriska tapped his shoulder, dragging him out of his mind to the present tense, "Thinking isn't healthy. You could get brain damage." She teased, flicking his forehead. Karkat gave her a weary smile, eyes glued to the dregs in the bottom of his cup, "S'pose so." Vriska stared at him oddly, her tempting lips upturned lightly and head tilted to the side like a curious feline. Before Karkat could question it, the expression schooled itself, back to her teasing smile.

It was silent between the pair for a while, "What're you gonna do 'bout Kankri and your dad?" The girl whispered in the static. Karkat shrugged, flexing his hands after they clenched into fists. The two slender tools kept curling into fists, his nails creating crescent-shaped indents in his calloused palms. He forcibly flexed his fingers, only for his hands to clamp up again, "I dunno. Hide, maybe." The ravenette looked lost in Vriska's eyes.

He looked confused, guilty and possibly a little deranged, his eyes flashing dangerously as he reminisced over things. Then, in that moment, he looked like a young child again. Vriska watched as her mind supplied a few memories of his mother's departure. 

[- - -]

_Karkat refused to come out and play, he wouldn't eat or sleep, just hid in his tree-house in the backyard. Not even Gamzee could coax the eight year old out. Vriska found that it just wasn't the same without the boy yelling about something, grumbling about how Sollux needed to shut the hell up about how good he is at GTA5 or whatever._

_It honestly confused the youngest Serket that she missed him._

_I mean, sure, there is always someone who's gonna miss the tall boy...how could someone not? Surely even Karkat's mother was going to miss him, even though she made a big show of hating her sons and husband. Vriska could relate somewhat. Her father had died in the Navy as a sailor with a mouth to match. But knowing that he's dead, not prancing along with some curvy lass who can cook and has a big heart was also more reassuring. So who knew how the boy was taking it. Everyone had tried something; but Karkat remained holed up in his tree-fort._

_He had missed school for the entire week because Mr Vantas couldn't get him out, not even with his Aunt Paint's_ cookies _! Now that-_ that _was just...ugh! How could someone pass up Ms Paint's cookies?! Back to the point at hand, Vriska had taken it upon herself to get the crab away from the reef. As a cunning spider, she was quiet, calculating and ready to strike._

_And then she wasn't ready, she wasn't sure about how this would turn out. All because of a few noises coming from the tree-house of Karkat Vantas._

_The small blonde sat soundlessly by the roots of the grand oak, listening curiously as to what on earth could be making such a racket? Besides the boy himself, of course. It was strange, the sound of something pounding against wooden panels, things being thrown around...something thumping to the floor. Karkat's gangly legs swung lazily over the edge, his pale hands gripping the edge to prevent his fall. Big, clunky and beaten sneakers attacked to pale legs decorated with band-aids with silly crab-faces on them came to a stop, his knuckles turning white. Then, in the gentle breeze, the Fall leaves swirling around in the air, a wry chortle was heard,_

_"You're not as good a spy as you think you are, Serket."_

_No cusses, no anger or spite laced into his words, just innocent poking. Vriska looked up, her blonde braids falling over her shoulders; he was already looking down at her, his ruby eyes trained on her face. He looked confused, lost, maybe even lonely. He waved his hand, beckoning her to join him. He was still befuddled, his eyebrows furrowed lightly against his pale forehead. "Are you okay?" The blue-eyed girl whispered. The red-eyed boy cackled, his shoulders shaking and his teeth gleaming. The young boy sobered, his eyes downcast, "Of course not. But y'know what?" He paused, finding sudden interest in the sprays of freckles displayed on the tan girl's pudgy cheeks,"None of us are okay, really. So it's fine." Vriska giggled, much like he had, knocking his shoulder with her own playfully._

_None of us are okay, really. So it's fine._

[- - -]

Vriska blinked, a pale hand waving in front of her face, "Vriska? Damn it, you bitch, hello?" Karkat's warm voice entered her ears, making her smile. "Are you here, hello?" He called again, making her blink slightly. "Yes, yes, I'm here, hello." She replied, grabbing his hand in her delicately. Most people had fled to their rooms, presumably to prepare for their visitors soon. He and her were the only ones still at the table, Karkat's coffee cold and Vriska's orange juice room-temperature. They arose, hand in hand as they trudged to their room silently. 

Karkat did nothing but flop on his bed, closing his eyes quietly. Vriska did the same.

[- - -]

_"What do you mean?" She giggled, her shoulder still nudging him boisterously. Karkat shrugged against her weight, "I mean what I mean. I'm eight, I say lottsa things that don't make sense. 'Specially with my sailor's mouth." Vriska sighed, "Don't seem like you're using it t'day." She replied, slowly falling into the boy's lap. His messy hair was framing his face, making his eyes bright and skin pale, pointing out the painfully dark rings around his eyes. She poked one lightly, sticking her tongue out when she did, "Why do you have rings around your eyes, Karkles?" She asked, her chubby fingers tracing the freckles that hid in those dark bruises._

_The boy shrugged, his hands slowly-hesitantly-reaching around to thumb the rosy blush of her cheeks, "Same reason your cheeks're red." It was quiet after that, Karkat dog shuffling around below sometimes and the sound of delightful laughter coming from the street, "...Do you wanna talk 'bout it?" She couldn't avoid it any longer, she wanted to help. But she couldn't help if he wouldn't let her. She hid a grimace as the boy she lay on winced, flinching at the subject. He shook his head, "Not really." Vriska reached up again, her hand smooshing his cheeks together to look like a fish. "Why not?"_

_"Because it hurts." He breathed, lip caught between his teeth, gazing on anything but the girl residing on his legs._

_Vriska sat up, gently turning the older boy's face to look at her, "How about you tell me why?" Karkat huffed, "For a seven year old, you sure act like Rose's mom." Vriska made a protesting noise, "I'm only seven for another month! Then I'll be as old as you, so suck a lemon, Karcrab!" The atmosphere instantly lightened, lifting a weight off of Karkat's chest. He rolled his eyes, a small smile quirking his lips, "S'pose so."_

_Blissful peace fell upon the children, the sun spreading pools of orange light through the holes in the wood._

_"Tell me a story, Karkles." Vriska requested suddenly. In the past twenty minutes, she had moved so her head of bouncy curls rest on his thigh, his hand in her hair. Karkat hummed, leaning back against the door frame, "Well, I dunno many stories." She looked up at him, begging blueberries locking with amused apples. "Then make one up, you dork!" Karkat sighed and thought,_

_"There was a girl with eyes so blue, the ocean was jealous and hair brighter than the sun. One day, she met a boy with eyes as red as blood and hair blacker than soot..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suggest listening to a song called 'Frame of Mind' by Tristam&Braken, I find it quite suitable for the main pairing in this fic. I kinda got addicted to it, along with a few other songs, so beware! It is extremely catchy in my opinion ~Max
> 
> PS: I am aware this is short, but I'm kinda busy right now, so yeah...


	6. 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Yeah...have some memories-I can't be bothered right now ~Max

_"D'ya ever miss your mom sometimes?" Vriska looked honestly curious, her cerulean eyes big and her pink lips pursed. Karkat choked on his drink, looking at her incredulously, "What?" The pair sat in the half-vacant cafe, sipping on their drinks and chewing on their fries, like every Sunday. The ten year old girl was watching Karkat with sincere interest, licking the salt from her lips, "You heard me." The boy frowned, rubbing his neck. He stared at his food, suddenly loosing his appetite, "S'pose so." Vriska smiled empathetically, her hand reaching up to ruffle his sooty hair, "It'll be fine, 'kay?"_

_Karkat chortled, rolling his eyes. He sipped from his tall glass of cola before turning to look at her, "Nothing's fine, Vris." She tilted her head, scooting her chair closer, as if he was to tell her a secret, "Whatcha mean, Karks?" He smiled bitterly, "I mean what I mean. I'm fucking ten, I say some weird crap, Vris. I thought you got that by now, or is your thinkpan riddled with too many shit-eating spiders to realize it?" Vriska laughed, shoving him playfully. "Shut it, Crab. At least I don't have a mouth dirtier than a damn pigsty." Karkat frowned, fighting a grin, "Says you, Spiderbitch."_

_The woman behind the counter looked at them sharply, glaring at the back of Karkat's head, "Excuse you. No swearing, didn't your mother teach you that?" She snipped. Vriska glared back at the woman defiantly, about to stand up and talk back, but Karkat beat her to it. "Sorry, missus. C'mon Vriska. We'll take this to go." he slammed the ten dollars on the surface angrily, picking up their styrafoam trays of fries and half-devoured burgers before walking out of the cafe. Vriska frowned, giving the woman the middle finger before running after the fuming boy._

_"Hey! Hey! What the fuck, Karkat?!" She called, finally catching up. His eyes were ablaze, eyebrows knitted and mouth set in a firm line, "What the hell? We could've thrashed her!" Karkat shook his head, sitting on a bench and biting into his hamburger. "Shut up, Serket. It wasn't our place to snap back. She's right, mom did teach us better." Vriska frowned, wrapping her head around the situation. He was still sore about his mom ditching him. Vriska sat next to him on the bench, a little closer than what friends would consider normal. "Are ya ever gonna get over her?" She asked gently, her anger melting away. Karkat snorted, rolling his eyes and smiling bitterly, "Probably not. She was a bitch anyways." He dropped his smile, staring at his food like it held all of life's answers._

_The sun was starting to melt into the treeline on Sgrub's side of Skaia, coloring the sky with fiery reds and warm oranges, the stars climbing the east side of the sky, where the purples and pinks started to rise. The regular traffic of people hurrying through at five had died down to barely one or two people that smiled at them kindly, muttering about childhood sweethearts to each other after they had passed. A breeze picked up somewhere along the line, causing both to shift, Karkat's arm somehow wrapped around Vriska's shoulder._

_Vriska looked up at Karkat, poppies and bluebells, her smile reassuring and homely. "Yeah, well...everyone can be a bitch sometimes." Karkat chuckled, ruffling her hair, "S'pose so."_

[- - -]

_Vriska groaned, flopping over to roll onto Karkat's lap. The twelve year old sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "What, Vris? We're meant to be studying or something. Fuck, hell if I know what these old crones expect to shove down our protein chutes. Half of this is utter bullshit served on a platter made of textbooks and nonsense words."_

_The blonde watched as he rambled, her finger tracing the ever-present rings around his eyes, like bruises against his pale skin, "Shut it, crab. I don't give a fuck about whether we're meant to be studying or swimming butt-naked, I'm bored." She groaned again, falling onto the floor._ _Karkat hissed a cackle at her unfortunate move, chucking his book somewhere into the corner of the tree-house. "Karkat, get serious for a minute." Vriska said, sitting up to stare him in the eyes._

_Karkat sobered, all humor leaving his gaunt features, " 'Sup, Serket?" She frowned, "I...doesn't it bother you that...never mind, forget it."  The fair skinned girl sighed, rubbing her eyes. Karkat propped himself up against the wall, his eyebrows furrowed, "C'mon, what's on your mind?" He asked softly. Vriska had to smile. He was such a big softy, despite his temper. A slender hand snaked around her waist, pulling the twelve year old closer in a side hug, "What's up? You can always speak to me, Vris." She nodded, sighing again._

_"You never talk to me, so why should I talk to you?" She watched as the boy spluttered, trying to school his expression, "'Cus I got nothing to talk 'bout." The young Serket raised a skeptical eyebrow at that, "Mommy issues? Stress? Those therapy sessions Kankri's been forcing you to? Sounds like a lot on your plate, Karks." He scowled, batting her around the head lightly, "Shit I don't want to acknowledge. Trust me," He looked at her like an older brother would, "I'd talk if I wanted to. You'd be the first person I'd speak with." Vriska frowned, but shook her head fondly, "Fine. You want me to talk?" Karkat nodded, shifting to sit adjacent from her, his full attention on her. Vriska glued her gaze to her lap, fiddling with the hem of her shorts. The silenced wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't comfortable either. It was just there, hanging in the air as she tried to find words._

_Vriska chanced a glance at Karkat, surprised to see him look guilty, his eyes looking out the window of the tree-house. The walls were aged, the rope-ladder groaning whenever they climbed up. Soon, this place would collapse under their weight. It had been twelve years now, his father and Vriska's mother, along with the help of others, having built this when Vriska was born. For 'everyone' to play in. It had only been Karkat and Vriska who played in it._

_His eyes flickered, meeting her uncertain look with patience. He quirked his lips, hands coming to rest atop hers reassuringly. Vriska gulped in air, "It bothers me that you lock away these things." Karkat frowned, "Vris-this is about you-" She nodded, anger rising in her gut, "That's what's bothering me! Karkat, we're twelve! You're soon going to be thirteen; you can't keep hiding away from your feelings! I know, I sound like a sappy baby right now, but you need to let it out! You wanna know what my problem is?! It's you! You always say to trust you, that you'll listen, which you do, but you never let anyone listen to you! You're always 'talk to me, I'm here to listen', but you never let anyone else try to understand!"_

_She huffed, staring at the boy incredulously, "Are you even for fucking real?!" Karkat winced, rubbing his arm, "Well yeah, last time I checked." Vriska frowned, punching his arm lightly, "Don't be a smart ass, Mr Let-Me-Stuff-My-Problems-Under-My-Bed! This is serious, Karkles..." Karkat looked to see that Vriska looked so sad, upset, as if he had lied to her. He immediately felt more guilty. She sniffed, rubbing her eyes, "You're a sucky, sucky friend. Making me feel all bad 'cus you suck at displaying emotions besides anger. Sucky, sucky, suck...Grr! SUCKY TIMES EIGHT!" Karkat stared at her for what felt like decades, not saying anything._

_He didn't get a chance-his father and Ms Serket were calling them into the backyard._

_They both stood, trying to compose themselves. Karkat gave one last worried glance at Vriska before putting his face into a scowl, jumping to the ground. He quickly helped the other down before storming off towards his father in the same huffy fashion he had since his mother left. "What? We're studying for the up-coming tests, so hurry the fuck up. I'd like to at least achieve a C+, despite how unbelievable that damn goal is._ _" Mr Vantas frowned, crossing his arms. Ms Serket chuckled, rolling her eyes, but stopped when she saw her daughter wasn't smiling teasingly like she usually did._

_"Vriska?" The girl sighed, rubbing her eyes. Mr Vantas glared at his son, scowling. "...Fine. We're in the middle of something important, so kindly fuck off, will you?" Karkat amended, gesturing wildly with his hands. Ms Serket and Mr Vantas shared a look, the man's harsh expression withering away. Ms Serket-completely out of character-knelt down and hugged her youngest daughter, burying her blonde curls into the younger's shoulder. Mr Vantas knelt down and crossed his arms again, "Karkat, Vriska...I-we don't know how to say this..." Karkat already saw it coming, he had heard him and Kankri talking about this last night, "Fuck you." He breathed, chest constricting and eyes burning. "I'm not going to that fucking asylum!" Vriska looked at Karkat, who looked enraged._

_He had fallen back into a protective stance, knees bent and hands curled into fists. Vriska could see beads of blood seeping through the gaps of his trembling fingers, his jaw was set, teeth gritted, pale flesh paper white. "Karkat, I don't want to figh-" Karkat had stormed away, middle fingers held up as he shoved past the older towards their backyard. Ms Serket looked grim, rubbing her daughter's hands reassuringly, "Vriska...Karkat's going to go away for a while, okay? It'll be better for him there. He's going to a place that'll help him get over his sadness and maybe get him to lighten up a little, okay? He'll be back..." Vriska didn't understand. She didn't want to understand._

_"Mom. Where's he going?" A strange feeling was rising in the girl's gut, making her feel sick. Mr Vantas let out an exasperated breath, "As stubborn as his mother." He growled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "He's going away, Vriska, let's leave it at that." Mr Vantas' look flashed pity for a moment, "Go say goodbye, he'll be gone by tomorrow." Vriska ripped herself out of her mother's grip, sprinting towards the Vantas residence, slamming the back door open and running through the living room to the staircase. Kankri made protests against her recklessness, complaining about breaking and entering, but his monologue fell on deaf ears._

_Karkat was going away? Where was he going? How long until he came back? Why didn't he tell her? What's an asylum? Questions flooded her twelve year old mind, causing confusion to get muddled in the mess of upset and anger. The blue eyed girl thundered up the stairs, ramming into Karkat's door._

_"Karkat Vantas, you come say goodbye to me right now, or so help me, I'll skewer you like a shish kebab!" Karkat jumped, dropping his clothes on the floor. Vriska saw that he was already packing, his posters and his laptop crammed into his backpack, clothes being stuffed into what spare space there was. Vriska, thought normally a cheery person, felt tears prick her sapphire eyes, her nose becoming runny and her chest tightening, disabling her breathing. The black haired boy dropped his angry facade, rushing over to the blonde as her knees buckled. She forgot their earlier argument, her mind dropping the touchy subject of his mother, her thoughts clogged by the idea of her friend leaving her alone in this world. Sure, she had all their other friends, but besides Terezi...well, she didn't really know who else she would turn to._

_Karkat was patient, clutching her close to him, letting her sob and sniffle into his shoulder like a child crying over spilt milk. Her tan hands gripped at the baggy fabric of his newest band shirt, her face buried in his shoulder, hair smothering his face. The boy couldn't really find a way comfort her, knowing that there wasn't a way to make up for leaving. He's going to be gone, possibly for the rest of his life, leaving the bestest friend he ever had behind to fend for herself. Don't get him wrong, Vriska was probably capable of everything, but he couldn't help but feel angry at himself. So he hugged her tight, nuzzling her golden hair, clogging his senses with that ripe scent of sea-salt, blueberry pies and that small glimpse of something bitter. It was probably the last time he'd ever smell it again. God knows how long they sat like that, in the middle of Karkat's bedroom floor, hugging each other like it was their last days on earth. To the young children, it might as well have been. Vriska hiccuped, "Where are you going, Karkles?" He grinned wryly, "To a place of medical prescriptions, twenty-four-seven surveillance and pristine walls, Vriska. A land of depression, miserable people and deranged psychotics. A hell made for the demons that escaped the fiery depths of Tartarus."_

_There was a strange light in Karkat's eyes, something Vriska had never seen before. He looked years older, his smile weary, not reaching his eyes, said orbs of burning garnet glinting with a manic flame that wanted to be freed. Vriska was finally seeing him for the first time in a while; scared, confused, his rights and wrongs blurred by the disappearance of something he depended on. Her icy eyes were finally peering into those twin pools of magma, understanding their tiredness, their glassy surface, realizing the meaning behind that flame put on for show: to hide. And a very good job he was doing._ _Vriska still didn't know where he was going, nor would she ever know unless she followed, which was a thing proven impossible. A quote flowed into her thoughts at that point, '_ If you love something, let it go. _'_

_And let him go she did._

[- - -]

_The years without him hurt._

_Like a searing pain running through her joints and her chest cavity. Vriska understood that others were hurting, too. But she was hurting the most. People didn't understand how wounded she was. Playing_ Just Dance 2 _without Karkat was like trying to see without light. It was quiet now, quieter than it was. Music often filled the silence, trying to make up for the snippy remarks on the 'crappy pop shit' that would echo through the school's speakers during lunch hour. Vriska was more important than theses idiots. They didn't get her pain, didn't wrap their small heads around how much Karkat's disappearance had scarred her. The only one who would understand would be the boy who left._

_She had helped him load up the strange bus full of other depressed or deranged looking people, buckling her heart in the empty seat next to him. She could've buckled herself next to him, followed him the entire way, but her mother had dragged her out once she had burst into tears again. So she had left her heart in the empty seat besides the black haired boy, letting him protect it with his life, taking it with him as a reminder of her on his travels. She missed it sometimes; she missed him all the time. Thinking his name made the space in her chest cavity bleed with the pain of a thousand burns._

_Terezi had tried to help, she really had. But she gave up after seeing Vriska have a mental breakdown in front of half the school-the girl had lost sight of what to do. Then, she had gone, too. After a traumatic accident that left her sightless, with minor brain-damage, she had 'gone away' too. That had been it. Vriska had lost it. First, her best friend, her childhood brother, had left, now...her sister. Her beloved, quirky sister had left, the dragon and the crab abandoning the spider._

_That had been the final straw. Nobody else mattered, not even herself. Kanaya had tried, but often ended up complaining about the mess that Vriska's room had lapsed into. How the furniture didn't match the color scheme, how Vriska herself was a wreck that she couldn't tolerate standing around, constantly fussing around, trying to brush her hair, un-wrinkle her clothes, get rid of the permanent tear-tracks that smudged her tan cheeks. She had gone away a few weeks later, along with Sollux and Aradia. Sollux had become bipolar over the past few months, his temper becoming short, his cheeriness lasting no longer than a few minutes before he snapped. Aradia had claimed to hear voices, see dead people and other paranormal things, making her sanity slowly dwindle._

_After that, the small group of people that Vriska had once called friends slowly disappeared, going away. Everyone had gone away at one point or another. Then, she sat alone at her table at school, none of her friends there to cheer her up anymore, then...she stopped showing up to school._

_In a way, she had gone away too._

[- - -]

_She had thrashed and kicked and screamed until her throat was sore when her mother told her she was going away too. She had destroyed nearly everything in her bedroom, her lamp smashed, walls scratched and blood smeared where her nails had broken off, scraping at it with until her nail-beds bled. Her mother had ignored it all, telling her sister to pack Vriska's things and remained stoic throughout the entire event._

_Then, Vriska stumbled onto the bus, her golden hair knotted and a horrible mess that Karkat would have brushed out calmly, complimenting her on how it shone in the sun's light. Her caramel skin had a sickly yellow tint to it from lack of sunshine, her cheeks flushed, fresh tears smearing what little makeup her mother had put on to make her look decent. The fourteen year old's blue eyes were dull, like the few other passenger's eyes looked; broken and washed out. She growled at the driver, baring her teeth when he smiled at her. The exact seat where Karkat had sat was empty, the seat next to it empty. He had taken her heart with him, just like she had asked. He was loyal like that._

_She dragged her bags along the gritty floor, plopping down in the seat, dropping her luggage into the empty seat besides her. The wrecked girl pulled her knees to her chest, her fingers trembling over the tears in her jeans like Karkat had when he gave her a final hug. When the bus driver had been kind and allowed five minutes for them to say goodbye. She stifled a heart-wrenching sob, wondering if he was still there. The fourteen year old brushed her matted curls out of her eyes, glaring at the cruel form of her mother, snarling at her through the stained glass. She ignored the way Ms Serket frowned at her once beautiful daughter, without her narcissistic view of society, without the depression gnawing away at her mind. Vriska didn't care. She hurt. But maybe it would go away when she saw_ him _again. Maybe_ her _too._

[- - -]

_Her mood had instantly shot up when she heard the nurse ramble about some patient with red eyes that she would be sharing a room with and not to be too disturbed by the strange eye color. She only knew two people with red eyes, but she had instantly narrowed it down to Karkat when the nurse continued to blab about his 'childish' temper._ _Vriska's smile dropped when she found that he wasn't going to be back in the room for another half an hour, something about 'therapy hour'. So Vriska had taken the right side, the side that was closest to the bathroom, and wasn't clearly lived in._

_Karkat's style in music hadn't changed: his heavy metal and alternative rock posters hung from the sickly white walls like tattered banners, ancient memories in paper form. His bed was the same shade of sea-foam green as hers was, but it was littered with pads of paper and pencils, pens and markers. He hadn't given up his love for drawing either, it seemed. The nightstand by his bed was laden with photos from an Instant Polaroid Camera, of friends, family and other things. Karkat had thrived for those rare moments where everything was surreal, peaceful, and made to catch every opportunity with his camera. That was always an endearing little perk about him. A set of headphones rest by a closed laptop, still blaring loud music that sounded like_ Punk Goes Pop _._

_The bedraggled girl slowly unpacked her bags, clothes going in the nightstand by the spare bed, her few trinkets being hung up on her wall. She stared at the cream curtains, unsure whether to open them or not. So she left them closed, not wanting to go against Karkat's preferences. So she walked over to his side of the room, her fingers barely touching the sketches played out carelessly on his bed._

_It took her a while, but when she turned it this way and that, she saw that it was a picture of herself. When she was younger, his last memory of her. Two years ago, when she was twelve; cheeks flushed and damp, eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot, lips stuck on a open-mouthed frown that gasped and pleaded for the drawer to stay, or at least let her come along. Her blonde hair was less mangled and frizzy as it had been then, but it was close. Framing her face like wild mane of dandelions, her eyebrows creased in confusion, eyes like the broken glass of a pool of water, letting streams flow through the cracks. God, had she looked that distraught when he boarded that bus?_

_An odd feeling curdled in her stomach, making her feel vile._

_The door opened, and Vriska almost didn't recognize the poor boy that stepped through._

_He was tall, like he had always been, but much thinner than he used to be. A type of skinny that couldn't be blamed on fast metabolism. His skin was the same paper white it had been when he had left, the boy's clothes hanging off of him like rags. His_ My Chemical Romance _shirt hung low, showing full view of his collarbones, the hollow between them all the more visible. A baggy hoodie swamped his slender frame, his fingers barely seen from under the sleeves. The teen's jeans, black and threadbare, were meant to be skinny, but almost looked like regular jeans on his gangly legs. And of course, his clunky boots were where they had always been, laces untied and ends frayed. Vriska nearly feared meeting his gaze._

_Karkat's eyes were wide, as if he hadn't expected her to be in here. His face was gaunt, cheekbones more prominent than they had been when they were younger, as he had always had an angular sort of face structure, but it had been healthy, a more boyish pixie look to him. Now, he just looked like a skeleton. His lips were bitten and chapped, tinged blue like death, his freckles no barely seen through the ugly purple-black rings around his eyes. And oh, his eyes; they looked like they weren't there. The bright, lively fire had burnt into nothing but the remnants of dying embers, half-lidded with drowsiness. His hair was another story entirely. Still darker than the midnight skies back in Sgrub's side of Skaia, an unruly mess that framed his face like it was bushed to do that, even though it was quite evident that Karkat had never owned a brush in his damn life. Wisps of coal dusted his ears, showing off the few piercings he had done himself, since his father hadn't allowed him to get them. Three rings along the left earlobe, two studs and a bite-mark where the third one had been on the right. As if someone had bitten a chunk out of his ear, along with the stud._

_The silence stretched, the duo taking each other in. Vriska licked her lips, breathing deeply, "...K-Karkles?" Her throat suddenly went dry, her lungs burning from lack of oxygen. Karkat's mouth worked to form words, but he silenced himself, blood seeping through his teeth. Neither of them said anything, just acted._

_The lanky boy crushed her in a hug that was sure to brake some bones, burying his face in her matted hair, breathing in her long since forgotten smell. Her hands grasped the back of his hoodie, not caring how fragile the boy felt in her arms, sobs freely wracking her frame as she clung to Karkat for dear life. She was babbling, sobbing, snot and tears most likely staining his grey jacket, but he didn't care, just squeezed her so tight she might burst. They didn't move for a solid three hours, the nurses coming in to tell them it was time for whatever, but neither move._

_They say home is where the heart is. Karkat had her heart, as she had his, tucked safely away in her pocket for safe keeping. She might be trapped in this pristine prison for the rest of her miserable life, but at least she'd be home. God, it was good to be back._

[- - -]

_It was hot. Too hot to bear in this stuffy room. Vriska had persuaded the nurse to let them open the window, assuring him that they won't jump out._

_Vriska had stolen Karkat's laptop, watching the first Spiderman movie on it as he sat next to her, doodling in his sketchbook. Vriska sat in a white tank-top and a pair of pajama shorts, panting heavily in the heat. If Vriska felt like she was going to cook alive in this, then she couldn't imagine how Karkat was fairing. She turned to look at him, grateful that her hair had been pulled into a ponytail to keep from trapping heat between her hair and her back. Karkat's cheeks were flushed a delicate pink, his mouth letting out raspy breaths occasionally. His bright eyes were trained on his paper, trying to keep his mind from the humidity._

_"Karkles?" He looked up, giving Vriska a minuscule smile. "Yeah?" She tugged at his jacket and his shirt, "Why don't you take that off? It's boiling." The friendly and hot air became bitter in the next few seconds. Karkat blanched, biting his lips, "N-No, I'm good." Vriska gaped at him, "Seriously? How do you even survive in that thing? You have gotta be burning alive in there." Karkat shrugged, "I guess...it's not that bad." He muttered, barely paying attention to the conversation, hoping his friend would drop it._

_But alas, his friend was not a dog that knew how to drop things, but a spider that knew how to escalate things further. She put the laptop by the end of her bed, having paused the movie and crawled to shove Karkat's things off of his lap. She straddled him, making both uncomfortable with the sudden humidity, but she ignored it. She leaned her arms against the wall on either side of his head, grinning maliciously, "Karkat Vantas, I double-dog-dare you to take your shirt off." Karkat huffed, shaking his head, and folding his arms defensively. "Fine. I'm chicken. I'm not taking off my shirt." He sighed. Karkat's breathy rasps had turned into pants, much like Vriska's in the small space. The blonde had enough, gripping the hem of his_ MCR _shirt. "So help me, Vantas, I will rip this shirt off if you don't do it yourself." Karkat gulped visibly, trying to hide his discomfort with agitation that had faded away years ago._

_It made Vriska's heart clench slightly._

_"C'mon, Karks. Is this 'cus that Brian dude said you were anorexic? He's lying, okay? I'm sure there isn't anything under here that I would be able to call ugly." She reassured, her fingers dipping underneath to rub circles into his hips, "Yikes," She didn't pull her delicate fingers away, "You're literally burning up under here." Karkat glued his stare to the ceiling, biting his lips. Vriska nuzzled his neck, "C'moooooooon, Karkles. Work with me here." Karkat frowned, his arms still folded, "A...Are you sure you won't make fun of me?" His voice was so small, so timid and meek, Vriska almost forgot who she was talking to. But she smiled and nodded in understanding. Though a lover of the ocean, Karkat had always been reluctant to remove his clothes whenever they visited the beach._

_Because some douche named Brian called him an anorexic fag in fifth grade._

_Karkat's hands reached down to grip the ends of his shirt tightly, turning his knuckles white. In return, Vriska applied more pressure to his hips, her palms working in small circles relaxingly. She was perplexed as to what happened to the skin there, though; it was rough and raised up like jagged lines. She'd see once she got him to cool down. Karkat loosened up, his shoulders less tense and his forehead rested against hers tiredly. "Promise you won't hate me?" She grinned cheekily, "Well, I've always hated you, Karkles." Not the right thing to say. Abort, abort, back-peddle._

_"I-I mean. I promise, Karkles. I will not hate you. I could never." She was solemn, her promise as serious as Rose's attitude towards psychology._

_Karkat breathed a ragged breath, slowly pulling the shirt over his head. Vriska closed her eyes, letting Karkat attempt to get comfortable. A shaky sigh was heard, signalling for her to open her eyes. The thing she saw was Karkat's slender hands covering his face. He looked so honestly scared, that Vriska had to look and see why. She tried to smother her startled gasp._

_Karkat's smooth, pale skin was disrupted by scars, bruises and scrapes. Some fresh, some old. Along his shoulder were three lines, like had had clawed at himself until he was sedated and dragged off to the medical bay. Along his stomach were similar scars, from anything he had gotten hold of to distract himself from the bigger pain inside his chest. Bruises like fading scrapes and scratches danced along his hips, just above where Vriska had been massaging, like someone had pinned him to a wall. Those types of things were a normal occurrence when Gamzee went into a rage. He looked horrible, but...beautiful._

_Surreal. Like Karkat's photos._

_She traced the scars that looked like jumbled letters along his right wrist, '_ V.S, T.P, S.C, G.M, T.N, A.M, K.M, D.S, J.E, J.H, R.L, E.Z, N.L, E.A, F.P _'. Initials of all his friends. Vriska was at the top of the list. She was strangely touched. Before she knew it, she was lightly pressing her lips to every cut, bruise and blemish on his flesh, trying to make the pain go away, like her mother used to. 'Kiss it all better', like Aranea would if mother wasn't around._

_But neither of them had been able to kiss away the pain of loss._

[- - -]

Vriska gasped, whipping her head up. When had she fallen asleep? She shook it off and watched the pale beauty laying beside her, his arm slung over her waist. She smiled and brought her lips to his nose. "Love you." She whispered to nobody in particular, her mind traveling to the Land of Maps and Treasure...

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been thinking: we need Archive to make an official tag called 'Get Me Away From This Keyboard'. I think it would be very appropriate for many stories I find on this website ~Max


	7. 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my fucking god: how long has it been? Sorry for the inconvenience, I've been dealing with a boyfriend who got hit by a car. I think that is a valid excuse, so yeah ~MAX

Vriska woke up again around seven-ish, when Ms Paint came in to wake them up. Karkat had waved his hand deftly at the woman, giving a stereotypical, "Five more minutes." The mute lady rolled her dark eyes, humming a laugh. And, as usual, she left the god-awful pill-concoctions on the nightstand for them both. Ms Paint was by far the best nurse/doctor/whatever she was. Vriska could never remember. When she walked in finding Karkat and Vriska in the same bed for the first time, she just chuckled and left the cups.

The blonde poked the boy in his ribs, dragging him from slumber. Today was a special day. For what? Vriska wracked her brain for answers, only getting static in return. The ravenette bolted upright, "Fuck!" He exclaimed. Vriska sat up with him, stretching, "What?" Karkat shook his head, running his hands through his hair, "Visiting Day." Vriska blanched. Oh god, her mom and sister were going to come, they were going to judge her for not trying to contact them...oh god-(times eight.) "Well...it can't be that bad? I mean, you said you were going to just hide when Kan and your dad come. Can I come hide with you?" The boy snorted, rolling his eyes, "S'pose so." An old phrase. One he used often. It made Vriska feel small again, splayed across his lap with her fingers poking the rings under his eyes. "We should probably go get something to eat." The pale boy sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Yeah. C'mon. What's on your menu today? Slop and gruel?" Vriska rolled her eyes, "You make it sound like Olive Twister." 

"It was Oliver Twist, actually." Kanaya sighed as she briskly walked past the pair, Rose and Jade in tow.

"Bluh! Whatever, Ms Fussy-Fangs!" Vriska called after her. Jade looked back at them, smiling, "Don't make fun of her vamp-fics! She'll suck your blood as punishment!" Rose rolled her eyes and followed the girls around the corner. Vriska groaned, rubbing her eyes, "Whaaaaaaaatever." She felt a lanky arm sling over her shoulders. She looked up, rubies and sapphires. "What?" She inquired. Chapped lips pressed against hers briefly, "Nothing." Hurt was dancing in his eyes, bitterness on the tip of his tongue. But Vriska couldn't understand why. "Am I the only one feeling like today's going to be hell?" Karkat nodded, "It's visiting day." Oh. Well, go and drop the bomb like that, sure Karkat. No tact or delicacy whatsoever. Now you just blew up the entire building, thanks.

Crap, mom and sis are gonna be here. Oh god, this was gonna fuck up so badly. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Or as Karkat would say 'fuckity-fuck-fuck'. She actually liked that phrase better, to be honest. "It'll be fine. We'll just hide in here for a while. Parents aren't allowed anywhere out of the entertainment lounge." True. She giggled, reaching up to give him a chaste kiss, "Yeah." The pair linked their hands, stalking to the mess hall.

The room was once again alive with chatter, "Can't wait to see mom!", "Ooh! Can't believe Visiting Day's already here!" Ugh. Vriska grabbed a bowl of Cheerios and orange juice, sitting in her usual place at the table. And like every time, Karkat hesitated before coming to sit by Vriska. He almost hid behind her, he was pressed up against her side so much. "Relax, Karks. Nothing gonna happen-" The doors slammed open. A willowy woman with salt-and-pepper hair strode over to the table, her mauve-painted lips tight in a scowl. "Vantas, Serket, Makara, you are to follow me." Oh fuck. Shit, they screwed up somehow. What the fuck. Karkat wordlessly got up, coffee in hand, other stuffed in his pocket. Vriska followed suit, standing by him. Gamzee blinked owlishly, hands shaking as he curled into himself slightly. "Bro?" He looked to Karkat, his deep eyes wide. "C'mon, nothin's gonna all up and happen, Gamz." He said, ruffling his curls. The past-drug-addict got up and tremebling legs, his hands-similar to Karkat's-gripped his arm as they walked to the woman.

Vriska hooked her arm through Karkat's other one, following him as he walked steadily out of the room after the doctor. It was deathly silent as they walked through the pristine halls. They seemed to become infinite as they kept twisting corners and entering doorways. Gamzee was worrying at his lip, his big hands bound to leave bruises on Karkat's arm. The second tallest boy simply sipped his coffee without a word. "Bro? What's she all up and wantin' us for?" Ruby eyes looked up to tanzanite ones, "I dunno. We'll be fine if we just keep our traps shut, alright?" The curly-haired boy nodded. Karkat's suddenly intense gaze shifted to his partner, "Understood?" The blonde nodded, "Yeah. Say nothing, deal with nothing." A curt nod was given to her.

It always confused her that Karkat always knew how to deal with these situations. But that's for another time, she guessed. The woman stopped, making Karkat stumble into her. She turned, grey eyes narrowed, "Please take a seat." She gestured into the office, three seats sat before a looming desk. Karkat dumped the empty coffee into the waistbasket and took a seat. Vriska took his left, Gamzee took his right. The door shut with a jolting slam. The woman-who's nametag read 'Hillan'-sat before them, posture straight and hands folded. "We are here to discuss the events two nights ago." Oh. So that's what this was about. Karkat nodded again, mouth clamped shut. Gamzee was breathing faster, whimpers escaping his mouth as he huddled up to Karkat's side. "What about it?" He asked calmly, expression schooled. Hillan scrunched her nose at him, "All three of you breached violations. No one is to leave their room after lights-out." She hissed.  She got no response. Hillan frowned, running a hand down her face, smudging her lipstick, "We called your parents about this issue. They are to talk to you about this problem." The ravenette snorted, a wry smirk on his face, "Sure, whatever. That's nice of them."

Hillan scowled at him, her fist clenched. "This is a very serious matter, Mr Vantas-" "That's my father. I'm Karkat fucking Vantas, get it right. Or is your thinkpan so fucked up with the idea of your patients being experiments to your crappy drugs that you can't get names to squeeze in there?" Vriska whipped her head up, Gamzee seemed to have the same reaction.

He was scowling right back at the bitch. Teeth bared and eyebrows furrowed. Hillan blinked, "What are you talking about?" His chapped lips stretched into a smile, "No point denying it. Avoiding eye contact is a sign of lying and denial." Wow. He definitely learned a few things from Terezi. "You don't give us the regulated meds necessary for our 'illnesses', as you like to call them. So really, you have nothing you can use against us, because we could tell the head of this facility and have them sack you." He gave her a crocodile grin twice as threatening as Terezi's and winked at her, "So. go ahead and call our parents, you have no proof of this 'issue'." Gamzee blinked. "Aw hell yeah, bro! Motherfucker's got his shit dealt with!" He smiled. Vriska smiled, though rather confused. What? What just happened? Are they excused? Apparently.

The pale boy stood, grabbing both his friend's hands and tugged them out the room, Hillan still sat at her desk.

[- - -]

"Thanks, my miraculous invertabrother. Bro's gotta good thing comin' to him." The lanky juggalo waltzed off after a bear-hug, calling out for Tavros. Vriska sighed, swinging their intertwined hands together lazily. "Damn. You should become a lawyer if you ever get out of here." Karkat shook his head, "Nah. I'm not getting outta here." She sighed, "Yeah."

They'd probably die here.

That thought weighed on her shoulders. Karkat seemed to sense her sudden dismalality, hooking an arm around her shoulders. The pair returned to the mess hall, plopping back in their seats, "Fuck this shit." He groaned, slamming his face into the table, startling several people. "I don' wanna say hey to mah pa." He whined loudly, weakly pounding the table with his fist. "Sure! 'Hey dad! How're you doing with a disappointment for a second son? Yeah, yeah, good to hear you're still pissed at me for being a bratty kid! Nice to know you've moved on or whatever. Fucking thrilling to know just how much you've forgotten my existence and enjoyed the achievements Kankri's been reeling in'!" Vriska giggled, carding her blue-painted nails through his corse hair. "Fuck him sideways with an elongated python!" John snorted, "I don't think that's a thing-" A middle fingers was thrown up at him, "I don't give two fucks whether it's a thing or not, Egbert! I'm complaining right now! I'm in the middle of a existential crisis here! Fuck off and let me wallow in self-loathing."

Kanaya rolled her brilliant eyes, sipping from her tea, "Calm down, dear, it's not _so_ bad." Karkat didn't hear her, "I mean-seriously! Who the hell wants to see their parents after their last trainwreck for a visit? Oh yes, scalding your father's crotch with coffee is definitely proof of what a good father-son relationship you have! Especially when your child is claimed insane and thrown in the looney bin!" Vriska smiled, as was everyone else. This was like music. No, seriously; Karkat's strong, melodic voice carried a certain beat to it as he complained and groaned about Visiting Day.

"Okay, okay, we get, Mr Candy-Foul-Mouth!" Terezi cackled over his whining. Vriska looked up, glaring sharply at her. Ever since they were kids, they hadn't been the same, "Shut it, Pyrope! Leave the crab be if it means he's back to normal!" That shut her up. Definitely. A smug feeling washed over her. That's right. Fuck you, former Scourge Sister. Karkat sat up, rubbing his eyes, "Whatever. Rant over." Jade giggled at him, a few of the younger friends laughing too. That was a nice sound to here. Definitely. Wonderful, like before.

Vriska squeezed his hand under the table, leaning onto his shoulder. His nimble fingers squeezed back, a warmth running through her. She smiled at him mutely, adoring how his chapped lips were slightly parted for his canine to poke through. The doors opened, Ms Paint stepped in and smiled. She started waving her hands around in quick gestures. "Hey guys! Ready for your family? I hope so, let's get going!" The ruby-eyed boy translated for them. The beady-eyed woman turned on her head and sauntered off to the entertainment center. "Ready for hell, my dear?" Karkat whispered into his lover's ear. She grinned, "As ready as I'll ever be." Hand in hand, they trailed after everyone, walking into a room full of dread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is super short, but it's about all I can squeeze in right now. So I know I've been offputting the whole Visiting Day fiasco, but I really don't have time right now. Please accept this shitty chapter and let it suffice you for now...Again-super sorry, but when your bf is kinda in excrutiating pain in the hospital, it's hard to focus. 
> 
> Deal with it. i've got to go visit bf to keep him company...hopefully he'll be better soon, then I can start focusing on this more ~MAX

**Author's Note:**

> Yup. Screw you all: cliffhanger. Or something, I have no idea what possessed me to do this, just know I'm gonna try and drag it out a bit. ~Max


End file.
